A Mother's Love
by The Little Monster 1024
Summary: With Andy by her side, Sharon just might be able to make it through her daughter's wedding without crying...too much.


**A Mother's Love**

 **AN:** A little bit of Shandy, a little bit of mothership, a whole lot of Sharon Raydor.

Set about two years into the future.

* * *

 _"Mama, you taught me to do the right things,  
but now you'll have to let your baby fly."_

* * *

"You're sure about this, baby?" Sharon asked, her voice soft as she brushes her daughter's bangs out of her eyes.

Emily smiled at her mother, nodding. "Mom, you like Nick."

She did.

Sharon really liked her daughter's fiancé. He and Emily had been together for over a year now. Another dancer. Sharon couldn't help but remember the smile on her little girl's face when she told her about him. Even from that first time he she talked about him, Sharon knew that Nick was going to turn out to be important.

And by important, she meat maybe Emily would introduce them at some point, not _run off and get engaged_.

Nick was smart, quick witted. He made everyone around him laugh. He was kind and caring, that much Sharon had learned from their first meeting.

But most importantly, he treated Emily the way she deserved to be treated. He showed her respect, he was there for her. What more could Sharon ask for for her baby girl?

"I know." She murmured. "I do. I like him."

Sharon's took in the sight of her daughter again; her silly, peanut butter-faced little girl in a wedding dress. How had that happened?

"He's good, Mama." Emily told her mother, smiling brightly.

Sharon's breath caught in her throat as she pulled her daughter into a hug. Her eyes slipped closed as she held her baby close. "I love you, Emily."

Emily hugged her back, clinging tightly to her mother. "I love you too."

They stood there for a few moments, holding onto each other. Sharon remembered when Jack first left; Emily had been young, but still old enough to know that her mother was upset. She'd climbed up into bed with her, telling her that everything would be okay. As those first few days went by, they'd held each other then too. Sharon had dried her daughter's tears and Emily had stopped her mother's

A knock on the door and the voice of Jack Raydor pulled them out of their embrace. "You two almost ready?"

Emily pulled back, blinking back tears as she smiled at her mother. "Be out in a minute, Dad."

Sharon ran her finger underneath her eye, catching the few tears before they could slip down her cheek. She reached over to the vanity, picking up the little box. "Don't forget," She opened it, plucking the two pins lined with little blue flowers from the box. "Something borrowed and something blue."

Emily smiled as he mother gently pushed the pins into her hair. "Thank you."

They two took a final deep breath before joining Jack in the hallway.

"You look beautiful, Em." Jack said, smiling brightly at the sight of his daughter.

"Thank you, Dad." Emily replied, slipping her arm through his as they reached the back of the church.

Emily turned toward Sharon, slipping her other arm through hers too. It had been Emily's decision to have both of her parents give her away. She had known from the very beginning that she wanted her mother to do it. But, she and her father had been working on their relationship and Emily felt that her dad was really trying. She had thought about it for a while before deciding to have them both do it.

The music began, startling all three of them.

The congregation stood and turned to face them.

Sharon let out a quiet, almost breathless laugh. "You ready?"

Emily looked at her and nodded, smiling brightly. "More than ready."

* * *

"She looks so happy." Andy murmured against Sharon's hair, his hand resting gently on her back.

Sharon nodded as she watched her daughter glide across the dance-floor with her husband and some of their friends. She did look happy. She and Nick shared stolen glances as their dances with their friends; Emily's smile was brighter than she'd ever seen it.

Sharon had made it through the ceremony without crying, there had been some tears shed, but she hadn't wept in the way she had feared she would. Andy squeezed her hand from his spot on her left. She saw Jack wipe some tears away from where he stood on her right.

She didn't cry as she watched Emily dance in the arms of her husband, hadn't shed any tears as she danced with her father. But, when Emily pulled her from her seat and onto the dance-floor with her, all bets were off.

"She is happy." Sharon said.

Andy smiled, pressing a kiss to her temple. "It's hard, I know." He said. "You're happy for her but she's still your baby."

She looked at him, smiling softly as she remembered how he'd been at Nicole's wedding when she had said almost those same words to him.

* * *

"She looks so much like you. Especially as she gets older." Jack's voice drew her attention away from couples dancing on the dance-floor. She looked at him and smiled a little.

Jack was trying. She believed what Emily said. As far as they knew, he'd been sober for almost a year. He was working, had his own apartment. He was trying to have a relationship with Emily and Ricky, calling them both once a week. He'd been helpful with the wedding, offering to pay for things that Sharon took care of. She didn't want his money; she wanted him to be there for their daughter. And he was.

Sharon smiled a little at him and nodded.

"Acts like you too. I swear, it's like I'm talking to you sometimes when we talk on the phone."

Her head tilted a little. "That a good or bad thing, Jack?"

"Good thing." He looked at her. "Both of our kids…it's a good thing. You did a good job, Sharon." He said softly.

Her heart fluttered a little and for a moment he was the man she'd fallen in love with years and years ago, before his addictions came between them. She remembered the man he was on their wedding day, the man who'd cried as he held their daughter in the hospital.

She didn't love him anymore. But they'd always have those memories; they'd always share two children. She didn't love Jack anymore, but she cared about him. She couldn't express how happy she was that he was getting his life on track.

Jack spoke up, pulling her from her thoughts. "Want to dance?"

She considered him for a moment, looking over toward the doors Andy had disappeared out of to take a call from Nicole. Her eyes wandered to the dance floor where various different couples had gathered.

"Sure." She said, taking the hand he extended toward her.

He led her to the dance floor where he gently rested his hand on her waist, hers coming up to lay on his shoulder. Sharon could see all three of her children watching her from where they stood next to the cake table. She gave them a reassuring smile before looking back at Jack.

They swayed to the music together, but kept a respectful distance. They spoke softly of their children, of her child. They shared memories they shared of their daughter as a little girl, both smiling at the

memories. She'd been their world.

As the song came to a close, Andy slipped back into the reception hall, his eyes already scanning the crowd for her. When he caught Jack's eyes, Jack gave him a little nod.

Andy made his way over to them, squeezing through the crowd to get to her. "Mind if I cut in?"

Jack smiled sadly at Sharon before nodding and stepping back. Sharon reached out, gently touching his bicep. "Thank you, Jack."

 _For not making a scene. For showing up today. For being here for her._

Jack nodded before making his way back to his table. Andy smiled at her, taking her hand and threading their fingers together. Sharon smiled at him too, stepping closer, her arm lifting to gently hook around his neck. His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him.

She let out a breathless laugh, her eyes crinkling with it. "Hi."

His head lowered, their foreheads bumping gently. "Hi." He chuckled, pressing a gentle kiss just below her eye.

She leaned in closer to him as they moved to the music. "What did Nicole want?"

"I think she forgot about Emily's wedding today or she wouldn't have called. She apologized for interrupting anything, said it was her pregnancy brain."

Sharon smiled at him, listening. She could listen to him talk about his kids forever.

"She wanted to make sure we could still pick the boys up from school and watch them Wednesday night."

"Of course."

"That's what I told her."

Sharon nodded, humming a little when Andy pulled her closer. Her head laid on his chest, nestled in under his jaw, which rested on top of her head. They swayed slowly, eyes closed as they listened to the music, comfortable in each other's embrace.

As the music began to fade and an upbeat, loud song began to come from the speakers, they pulled apart.

Sharon smiled at him. "I think that's our cue to leave the dancefloor." She said loudly over the music as the married couple and their friends rushed out to the floor.

Andy laughed, guiding her off the floor with a hand on her lower back.

* * *

She could hardly keep her eyes open as she slipped into the backseat of their cab. Andy gave the cabbie the name of their hotel before he settled back in his heat.

Her head fell to his shoulder and her eyes slipped closed.

The reception had gone on for another two hours. Two hours of which were spent mingling with everyone- her family and her daughter's new in-laws. She and Andy danced for a couple more songs before Ricky had snagged her from Andy. She found herself still having to look up at him, even her high heels. When had he gotten _so big_?

Rusty asked her to dance after she was finished with Ricky. It surprised her a little. Rusty had overcome so much and was doing remarkably well with everything, but he still wasn't always one for a lot of physical contact. But, her youngest had smiled and pulled her away from his brother. He spoke of how happy Emily looked, of how Jack had talked to him about school, how Nick seemed like a nice guy.

Ricky had told her the same thing. It made her smile; that both of Emily's brothers had observed and gathered their opinions of their sister's husband.

Her boys wanted to protect their sister, whether they'd admit it or not.

How had she ended up with such amazing children?

Ricky and Rusty were still there, Sharon wasn't sure why, because the reception had officially ended, but she was too tired to question them. They were staying in the same hotel as them and had each other, she was sure they could make it back to the hotel on their own.

Of course, she only came to that conclusion after Andy had gently reminded her that they were adults.

As if she could forget that her children were no longer babies, as if she could forget that they were old enough to navigate through _New York City_ on their own.

She'd kissed Emily goodbye and hugged Nick, giving them both a stern warning to take care of each other while in Europe for their honeymoon.

Of course, that'd only drawn a crude joke from her sons, who both got a look that shut them both up from their mother.

After their goodbyes were said, Andy led her out of the hall, smiling at the feel of her engagement ring against his skin as he intertwined their fingers.

Theirs wouldn't be nearly as large as Nicole or Emily's had been, but it would be soon. He didn't think he could wait much longer to marry her.

He was really beginning to like weddings too.

* * *

 **This ended up being a lot longer than I expected. I hope you guys like it.**


End file.
